Page 19 of Shadow Witch

“I can’t take this,” Paige said with a shake of her head as she tried to add the china pattern to the registry.

Devon grabbed the RP from her. “Here, I’ll do it. Let’s see…we’ll want at least service for twelve.”

Paige furrowed her brow as she stared at him. “Why are you like this?”

“Like what?” he asked as he added a serving platter and a silver spoon set.

“Have you actually…thought about your wedding before? You seem…weirdly cognizant of what you’d like to receive for gifts.”

Devon glanced sideways at her as he flicked a piece of hair from his eyes. “Every little vampire dreams of their wedding day.”

“This is messed up,” Paige said with a shake of her head. “I can’t even. I…just…can’t even.”

Dewey continued his shopping spree. “You’ve never thought of your wedding, Paige? Dreamed of a white dress and a big church?”

Devon leaned around Paige to glance at the small dragon. “Oh, uh, technically, it’ll be a small chapel. Big churches and vampires don’t go over too well.”

“No. No, okay? I never did. Why is that so surprising?”

“Well, I mean, most little girls do.”

“Well, this little girl didn’t. She dreamed of finding her mother. Okay? And being a writer or something.”

“Suuuure,” Dewey said.

“Why is this so hard to believe? Drucinda never dreamed of her wedding.”

“Yes, darling, but I’m far more exceptional than you. So, it’s understandable. You’re…mediocre at best. So, it stands to reason that you would have thought of it. You would have assumed you would live a normal, average, ordinary life.”

“Average and ordinary does not mean I have to get married.”

“But that is what most average, ordinary people do. They get married instead of ruling the world.”

“What? Who is ruling the world?” Paige asked.

“I am. Obviously,” Drucinda said. “If anyone has a shot at it, it’s me.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Yeah, come on, Dru,” Devon said, “Paige and I will be supernatural royalty, so…”

“Second to me, Ruler of the World. Don’t worry, darling, I’ll make certain you’re well taken care of. You are, after all, a prince.”

Dewey clapped a hand on his head. “Oh, that’s right! You’re going to be a princess!”

Paige furrowed her brow as she considered it. “Wait, will you need to call me Your Royal Highness?”

“Let’s not get crazy, Paige.”

“But if I’m going to be a princess–“

“Just don’t,” Dewey said with a shake of his head as he continued his work. “You’re not going to pull rank on me, kid.”

Paige slouched down on the couch, stuck between two men who both planned her wedding festivities. Devon happily added items to their registry while Dewey continued to buy things for her shower and bachelorette party.

By the time they started their descent, she’d started to wonder if she was going insane. Maybe she’d slipped into a separate universe where the world tilted on its axis.

They stepped off the plane outside of a small airport with Devon’s familial castle looming in the distance. Paige blew out a sigh as she recalled her last experience there. She’d nearly died at the hands of a Venompire.

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